Apparatus for preparing yarn and thread packages for liquid treatment



March 20, 1945. H. J. M DERMbTT EI'AL 2,371,638

APPARATUS FOR PREPARING YARN AND THREAD PACKAGES FOR LIQUID TREATMENTFiled April 4, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 HENfiYJ. McDEPMu'fT .HUFFLFE FFF'YJE; ,7@% ATT Y.

March 20, 1945.

H. M DERMOTT ETAL APPARATUS FOR PREPARING YARN AND THREAD PACKAGES FORLIQUID TREATMENT Filed April 4, 1942 5 sheets-sneak 2 ATI'O March 20,1945. H. J. M DERMOTT ETAL 2,371,533

APPARATUS FOR PREPARING YARN AND THREAD PACKAGES FOR LIQUID TREATMENTFiled April 4, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet s Y INVENTOR. I'G'NFYJ. MEDEPMEITT BYHUF'HE'E' F F'F'YJH ATTOR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING YARN AND THREADPACKAGES FOR LIQUID TREATMENT- 'March 20, 1945. H. J. MFDEIRMOTT ETAL 5Sheets-Sheet 4" Filed April 4; I942 P L U Mm m F w E A 5% H #7 NH F W.

March 20, 1945. 'H. J. MCDERMOTT ET AL 2,371,633

APPARATUS FOR PREPARING YARN AND THREAD PACKAGES FOR LIQUID TREATMENTFiled Api'il 4, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I IN VENTOR.

mm m F P .m E A C,.. M

Patented Mar. 20, 1945 APPARATUS FOR PREPARING- YARN AND THREAD PACKAGESFOR LIQUID TBEAT- MENT Henry J. McjDermott, Prospect Park, and Horace 1.Fry, Jr., Swartlimore, Pa., assign era to American Viscose Corporation,Wilmington, net; a

corporation of Delaware Application April 4.1942, Serial No. 431,728

(ems-1) 18 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for preparing yarn and threadpackages. for liquid treatment. More particularly, this inventionrelates to apparatus for preparing yarn and thread packages for liquidtreatment, including means for strippingthe outer layers of thread oryarn from the packages, means for placing identification means on thepackages, and means for applying protective covering means tothepackages.

In the liquid treatment of certain yarn thread packages, it is necessaryto wrap the packages in protective covering members. This isparticularly true where the yarn or thread is rayon in the annular formof package in which it iscollected in a spinning box rotating at highspeed. Also where the outer layers of thread or yarn are apt to bedamaged during the formation of the packages, it is necessary to stripthem off before the covering means are applied. The present pro-' cedurefor stripping oi the outer layers and applying protective covering meansto yarn and thread packages requires considerable manipulation of thepackages which is time consuming and often results indamage to the yarnor thread.

The principal object of the invention is to provide improvements inapparatus for stripping the outer layers from yarn and thread packages.

Another object of the invention is to provide improvements in apparatusfor applying identification means to yarn and thread packages.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the unloading end of an apparatusembodying the invention.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the unloading end of the apparatus shown inFigure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the units for applying protectivecovering means to yarn and thread packages.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of one of the units for applying protectivecovering means to yarn and thread packages taken on the line 6-6 inFigure 5.

a strand of thread or yarn from-the package to a traveling tow to stripthe outer layers from the packages. t Figure 8 is an elevationalview'of' the means shown in Figure 7 as seen from the unloading end ofthe apparatus.

Figure 9 is an elevational view of the means shown in Figure 'l as seenfrom the loading end of the apparatus.

Figure 10 is a plan view with parts broken away showing the interior ofthe means for applying identification means to the yarn and threadpackages.

Figure 11 is an elevational view with parts broken away showing theinterior of the means for applying identification means to the yarn andthread packages.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the means for cutting the strands ofyarn or thread being stripped from the packages.

The apparatus as shown in the drawings comprises a plurality of yarn orthread package supporting units mounted on a conveyor whereby thepackages may be moved to various positions in which identification meansare applied to the packages, the outer layers of thread or yarn arestripped off andprotective covering means are applied to the ackages.While, the means for applying the identification means, thestripplngmeans, and the means for applying the protective covering means arecoordinated with the conveyor and cooperate to prepare the-package forliquid treatment, any one or more of these operations may be omitted andthe apparatus can carry out the remaining operations.

the sprocket wheels 6. Means which are not shown are provided fordriving the sprocket. wheels. A-circular package supporting plate I, ofslightly less diameter than the inside diameter of thesleeve-like-member, is centrally and rotatably mounted on the end of theshaft I which extends through the sleeve-like member and the axial borein the hub member and carries fixedly secured thereto a racing plate laupon which the yarn or thread package actually rests. The

Figure 7 is a plan view of means for applying ll haft is adapted to berotated and moved axially in the bore in the hub member. The packagesupporting plate is provided with a plurality of radially extendingslots 9a. A scroll plate is fixed to the end .of the shaft beneath thepackage supporting plate and is provided with a plurality of scroll-likeor spirally extending slots II. A roller or cam follower I2 is fixed tothe end of the shaft. Also a pair of substantially diametrically opposedoutwardly extending arms l3 and M are fixed to the shaft above theroller. A plurality of substantially L-shaped package gripping membersI5 arranged for axialsliding I motion within guideways 9 formed in thefacing plate la and having dependingportions iii are mounted on thepackage supporting plate with the depending portions passing through theslots in the package supporting plate and the scroll plate. The scrollplate is urged to rotate relative to the package supporting plate by thespring means ll attached at one end to a pin secured to the packagesupporting'plate and at the other end to a pin secured to the scrollplate. The spring is provided with a U-shaped member l8. intermediateits ends which straddles the shaft to permit the direction in which thespring exerts measuring means comprising a pair of intermeshing flutedrollers 21 which engage and feed .the colored yarn at a uniform rate.through the tube 28 to a severing means. The severing means comprises astationary blade 29 and a movable blade 30 fixed at one end to therotatable shaft 3!. The feeding and measuring means and the severingmeans are driven from the same drive shaft 32 so that they arecoordinated. The operation of the colored yarn feeding and severingmeans is also coordinated with the movement of the package supportingunits on the conveyor so that a length of colored yarn is dropped acrosseach package supporting unit, asit passes under the colored yarnsevering means.

Means are provided for stripping the outer layers from the packagecomprising a plurality of guide members 33 mounted on a continuous chainconveyor 34 positioned above and extending in the same direction as thepackage supporting unit conveyor. The conveyor for the guide memberspasses over sprocket wheels 35 mounted on horizontal axes and driven bymeans not shown so that the lower pass of the conveyor moves tion offorce of the spring extends. The package supporting plate is providedwith depending guide means 19 extending through guide holes 20 in thebottom of the sleeve-like member which permit axial movement but notrotary movement 4 of the package supporting plate relative to thesleeve-like member. A track 2| on which the roller 12 is adapted to rollis positioned below and extends in the direction of travel of theconveyor. The track is provided with a drop or lower section 22 whichlowers the package supporting plate during a portion of the movement ofthe package supporting unit through the apparatus. Cam or deflectingmembers 23 and 24 are positioned above and on opposite sides of thetrack in the path of the outwardly extending arms l3 and I4 mounted onthe shaft. Means are provided for rendering the unit inoperativecomprising the annular plate member 10 rotatably supported on the bottomof the sleeve-like memher. The annular plate is provided with handlemeans H whereby it may be rotated relative to the sleeve-like member.about its axis. Guide holes 13 are'formed in the annular plate which areo the same size as the guideholes .20 in the bottom-of the sleeve-likemember and are positioned so that they may be aligned with the guideholes in the sleeve-like member.

The cake-wrapping head in itself and the conveyor as so far described isthe sole invention of Henry J. McDermott and is described and Q claimedin a separate co-pending application Serial No. 568,462, filed December16, 1944, which is in part a continuation of application Serial No.432,706, filed February 27, 1942. Y

The means for applying an identification means to the packages isindicated generally in Figures 1 and 2 by reference character 13. Thismeans comprises a store of colored yarn or the like 25 and a yarnmeasuring and severing means positioned above the path of movement ofthe package supporting unit on the conveyor. The store of colored yarn25 whichis used as the identification means is supported on a stand 25and the colored yarn is directed to a feeding and in the same directionand at substantially the same speed as the conveyor for the packagesupporting units. The lower pass of the guide conveyor is arranged attwo levels, with the portion adjacent the loading end of the machine atthe lower level. The guide members comprise curved plates having anarcuate guiding surface 36 formed in their upper edge. The guide membersare spaced apart substantially the same distance as the packagesupporting units on the conveyor. The yarn or thread being stripped fromthe packages is directed over the guide members in the upper level ofthe lower pass of the conveyor and the guide means BI and 82 to thedrawing wheel 31 which is rotated by means not shown. A stream of liquidis directed against the drawing wheel by .the jet 33. The thread or yarnis removed from the drawing wheel and deposited in the .receptacle 38 bya doctor blade. Means generally indicated by reference character C areprovided for applying to a traveling tow, strands of thread or yarn fromthe outer'layers of succeeding packages including means for firstengaging and lifting the strands of yarn or thread to a positionadjacent the traveling tow. These means are positioned between the guidemembers units. The strand engaging and lifting means as shown in Figure9 comprises a lever 40 having a. strand engaging and guiding surface 42at one end and pivotally connected at the other end to thefree end 43 ofthe lever 44 which is pivotally mounted on the housing of the drivemeans at 45. The lever 40 is urged upwardly by the spring 45 intoengagement with the L-shaped lever 41 pivotally mounted at 48 on thehousing. Cam

members 49 and 50 are mounted on the shaft 5| and rotate in a clockwisedirection as shown in Figure 9. The cam member 43 actuates the L-shapedlever 41 which in turn actuates the lever 40 and the cam 50 actuates thelever 44 to move thev strand engaging and guiding surface in the closedpathshown by the dotted lines in Figure 9. The means for combining withthe tow, a strand of yarn or thread being stripped from the package asshown in Figure 8 comprises the lever 52 having the thread engagingmember 53 positioned at one end. The lever 52 is supported at its otherend by the levers 54 and 55 pivotally mounted on the housing 58. Thelever 32 is oscillated by the link 51 connected to the crank directionas shown in Figure 8. The thread engaging member 53 is v-shaped and oneof the surfaces is grooved to form a channel for the flow of liquid.'Liquid is suppliedto the grooved surface by the tube 59 and iswithdrawn by the tube 60. The thread-engaging member moves in the pathshown by the dotted lines in Figure 8.

The means for cutting the strand of yarn or thread after a suflicientamount has been drawn from the package is indicated generally byreference character D which comprises a stationary member 6| having aV-shaped strand receiving notch 62. The'member is positioned above andin line with the package supporting members. A cutting blade 63 having astrand receiving notch is mounted on the stationary member and arrangedfor reciprocation across the apex of the Figures 1 and 2. ,The uppermostend portions of the cover members are then placed over the tops of thegripping members and are inserted or tucked into the cup-like hollowspaceformed between the gripping members I? above the center of thepackage supporting units. As the package supporting units to which thecover members have been applied pass under the means for applying theidentification, lengths of colored yarn are dropped on them. The coloredyarn is of sufficient length that it will extend beyond the overlappingend portion of the cover member when the package is wrapped. Annularyarn or thread packages are'then placed on the package a ertness underthe means the lever member 40 having the thread engaging surface 42moves into en- 38 on the shaft 5! rotating in a counterclockwisegagement with the free end of the strand and raises it to a positionadjacent to'the traveling tow. .The means for applying the strand ofyarn to the tow comprising the lever 52 having the strand guiding and,engaging surface 53 is raised substantially immediately after guide 33passes over it and engages a portion of -the strand extending betweenthe surface 42 of the lever 40 and the stripping guide 33 on theconveyor to which the strand has been applied and thereby places thestrand in contact with the traveling tow. The'liquid which iscontinually being applied to the surface 53 of the strand applying meanscauses the strand to adhere to the tow and tobe carried along therewith.Theouter layers of yarn continue to be stripped from the package untilthe package passes, beneath the cutting means indicated generally byreference character D. When the strand of yarn being stripped from thepackage passes through the V-shaped'notch in the stationary member, itis cut or severed by the movable blade. The member 65 limits the size ofthe balloon of the yarn being withdrawn from the package and preventsthe cut end from engaging i other yarn package. The fr end of the covermember isthen withdrawn from the space formed within the upper portionsof the gripping members I?) at the center of the packaging supportingunit and is placed over the outside of the upper portion of the package.As the package supporting unit passes over the drop or lower portion 22of the track section, the roller l2 rolling on the track permits theshaft 8 and package supporting plate 1 to be lowered relative to thesleeve member 2. This axial movement of' the 5 package supporting plateand the package car ried thereon relative to the sleeve'member causesthe portion of the covering member that has been placed on the sleeve tobe applied to the lower portion of the package and in overlappingrel'ationto the other end portion of the cover memsupporting units overthe gripping members 15 l and the cover members applied thereto. .As thepackage supporting move along with the conveyor the arm 13 on the shaft8 strikes the cam or deflecting member 23. This rotates the shaft 8 in aclockwise direction as shown in Figure 5. The rotation of the shaft andthe scroll plate in a clockwise direction as shown in Figure 5 urges thepackage gripping membersoutwardly. With this motion, the direction inwhich the spring extends is moved to the. other side of the shaft. Thespring thereby continues to urge the scroll plate and shaft in aclockwise direction and the gripping members radially outward. Thisoperation centers the package on the package supber. passed over thedrop or lower portion'of the track, the package supportin unit passes bythe deflecting member 26 which is positioned on the side of the trackopposite to the side which the deflecting member 23 is positioned. Theoutwardly extending arm M fixed to the shaft 8 of the package supportingunit strikes the deflecting member 2d causing the shaft and the scrollporting unit and retains it in position. The free end of the yarn orthread on the outside of the package is passed over the leading edge ofthe stripping guide 33 above the package.

scroll plate in a counterclockwise direction retracts the grippingmembers moving them radially inward. As the direction in which thespring member extends passes to the other side of the shaft, the springmember urges the scroll plate to continue to rotate in a counterclockwise direction which retains the gripping members'in retractedposition. The wrapped package may then be readily removed from thepackag supporting unit by hand. If for any reason it is desired not tocomplete the application of the covering means to a certain package, thecovering applying means for the unit supporting this package may be madeinoperative. This is accomplished by rotating the plate 10 attached tothis unit so that the holes 13 are out of alignment with the dependingguide members 19. The plate member in this position prevents the packagesupporting plate from' moving in an axial direction relative to the.sleeve member'as the the balloon of an- After the package supportingunit has" While preferred embodiments of this invention have been shown,it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for preparing a yarn package and the like for liquidtreatment comprising package engaging and supporting means, means forstripping the outer layers from the package and means for applyingprotective covering means to the package.

2. Apparatus for preparing a yarn package and the like for liquidtreatment comprising package engaging and supporting means, means forstripping the outer layers from the package, means for applyingprotective covering means to the package and means for transporting thepackage to the stripping means and the protective covering applyingmeans.

3. Apparatus for preparing a yarn package and the like for liquidtreatment comprising package engaging and supporting means, conveyormeans engaging and supporting means, means for stripping the outerlayers from the package, means for transporting the package relative tothe stripping means, said stripping means being operative while thepackage is being transported, and means cooperating with the packageengaging and supporting means for applying a protective covering meansto the package.

5. Apparatus for preparing a yarn package and the like for liquidtreatment comprising package engaging and supporting means, means forstripping the outer layers from the package, means for transporting thepackage relative to the stripping means, means cooperating with thepackage engaging and supporting means for applying a protective coveringto the package, said stripping means and means for applying a protectivecovering to the package being operative while the package is beingtransported.

6. Apparatus for preparing a yam package and the like for liquidtreatment comprising package engaging and supporting means, means forstripping the outer layers from the package, means for severing thestrand being stripped from the package and means for applying protectivecovering means to the package.

'7. Apparatus for handling yarn packages and the like comprising apackage supportingmember, means at a higher level than the member forcontinuously feeding a flexible strand arranged to permit the strand tofollow a downwardly extending path, means for imparting relative motionbetween the member and feeding means to cause the strand to be laid onthe member and means arranged between the feeding means and the memberfor severing a predetermined length from the leading end of the strand.

8. Apparatus for handling yarn packages and the like comprising aconveyor, a plurality of spaced package supports on the conveyor, meansabove the conveyor for continuously feeding a flexible strand arrangedto permit the strand to follow a downwardly extending path to cause thestrand to be laid across the supports in the general direction of travelor the conveyor and means for intermittently severing predeterminedlengths from the leading end of the strand.

9. Apparatus for handling yarn packages and the like comprising aconveyor, a plurality of spaced package supports on the conveyor, meansabove the conveyor for continuously feeding a flexible strand arrangedto permit the strand to follow a downwardly extending path to cause thestrand to be laid across the supports in the general direction of travelof the conveyor and means for intermittently severing predeterminedlengths from the leading end of the strand, the severing means beingsynchronized with the motion of the conveyor so that cutting occurs atthe intervals when the spaces between the supports are below the cuttingmeans.

10. Apparatus for handling annularly wound yarn packages and the likecomprising a member for supporting the package on one of its ends, ayarn guide above the member, means located in a fixed position forwithdrawing yarn about the guide from the package, means for moving themember and the guide simultaneously in the same general direction. awayfrom the withdrawing means.

11. Apparatus for handling annularly wound packages and the likecomprising a plurality o2 spaced members for supporting each of thepackages on one of its ends, a plurality of spaced yarn guides abovecorresponding members, means located in a fixed position-for withdrawingyarns as a tow about the several guides from the packages, means formoving the members and the guides simultaneously in the same generaldirection away from the withdrawing means.

12. Apparatus for handling annularly wound packages and the likecomprising a plurality of spaced members for supporting each of thepackages on one of its ends, a plurality of spaced yarn guides abovecorresponding members, means located in a fixed position for withdrawingyarns as a'tow about the several guides from the packages, means formoving the members and the guides simultaneously in the same generaldirection away from the withdrawing means and means for combining anyloose yarn ends deending from the rear of the guides with the tow.

13. Apparatus for handling annularly wound packages and the likecomprising a plurality of spaced members for supporting each of thepackages on one of its ends, a plurality of spaced yarn guides abovecorresponding members, means located in a fixed position for withdrawingyarns as a tow about the several guides from the packages, means formoving the members and the guides simultaneously in the same generaldirection away from the withdrawing means and means for combining anyloose yarn ends depending from the rear of the guides with the tow, saidcombining means comprising a movable element disposed along the path ofthe guides and means for intermittently swinging the elemerit into thepath of any depending loose end shortly after each successive guidepasses the element.

14. Apparatus for handling annularly wound packages and the likecomprising a plurality of spaced members for supporting each of thepackages on one of its ends, a plurality of spaced yarn guides abovecorresponding members, means located in a. fixed position forwithdrawing yarns as a tow about the several guides from the packages,means for moving the members and the 15. Apparatus for handlingannularly wound yarn packages and the like comprising a member forsupporting the package on one of its ends, a yarn guide above themember, means located in a fixed position for withdrawing yarn about theas a towabout the several guides from the packages, means for movingthemeinbers and the guides simultaneously in the same general directionaway from the withdrawing means and means for combining any loose yarnends de-- pending from the rear of the guides with the tow, saidcombining means comprising a movable element disposed along the path ofthe guides, means for intermittently swinging the element into the pathof an depending loose end shortly after each successive guide passes theelement, a

liquid-applying element, and means for intermittently swinging theliquid-applying element up into contact with the loose yarn end and towand means disposed just above the path of the member for cutting theunwinding yarn after ,a predetermined travel of the member.

guidefrom the package, means for moving the member and the guidesimultaneously in the same general direction away from the withdrawingmeans and means disposed just above the path of the member for cuttingthe unwind ing yarnafter a predetermined travel of the member. f

16. Apparatus for handling annularly wound packages and thelikecomprising a plurality of spaced members for supporting each or thepackages on one of its ends, a plurality of spaced yarn guides abovecorresponding members, means located in a fixed position for withdrawingyarns for as a tow about the several guides from the packages, means formoving the members and the guides simultaneously in the same generaldirec tion away from the withdrawing means and means for combining anyloose yarn ends de- I pending from the rear of the guides with the tow,and means disposed just above the path of the member for cutting theunwinding yarn after a predetermined travel of the member.

17. Apparatus for handling annularly wound packages and the likecomprising a plurality, of spaced members for supporting each of thep'ackages on one of its ends, a plurality of spaced yarn guidesabovecorresponding members, means located in a fixed position forwithdrawing yarns 18. Apparatus for preparing annular yarn packages andthe like for liquid treatment comprising a conveyor carrying a pluralityof spaced package supports each comprising an annular base and a centralstructure upstanding therefrom adapted toreceive a flexible tubularpro-' I tective covering, means at a higher level than the members forcontinuously feeding a flexible strand downwardly across the supports,means intermittently severing predetermined lengths from the leading endof the strand, a

conveyor above the path of the members carry-V ing a. plurality ofspaced yarn guides,.means located in a fixed position forwithdrawing'the yarns as a tow about the several guides from thepackages, means for operating the conveyors to move the guidesand'supports simultaneously at substantially the same speed away fromthe withdrawing means, meansfor combining any loose yarn ends dependingfrom the rear of the guides with the tow, means disposed just above thepath of the supports for cutting in succession the yarn unwinding fromthe packages on the several'sup ports after a predetermined travel ofthe supports.

' HENRY J. MCDERMOTT.

HORACE P. FRY, JR.

